Meta

Subscribe

Iris Woes, Again

I’ve been really circumspect in what I’ve said regarding the whole Iris Print situation – I’ve expressed frustration, yes, but have held back from really getting into this subject because I felt that Kellie was doing the best she could and I didn’t want to add to her problems by blackening her name or that of the press on the Internet. Unfortunately, that has to change now.

The royalty check I received last week was returned by my bank for insufficient funds. I wrote Kellie yesterday, asking her to make good via Paypal, and have heard nothing. Honestly, I’d rather she not have paid me at all rather than sending me a bad check. I get ‘I can’t afford to pay you right now.’ I’ve been there – living from hand to mouth, paycheck to paycheck. What I don’t get and can’t accept is no apology, no attempt thus far to make restitution, no word at all. Even if she hasn’t got my email, I’m pretty sure her bank will have informed her of that her check was dishonored, if, of course, she didn’t know it from the start.

I’ve bounced checks before, back in the day. As soon as I knew the check wasn’t good, usually because I can’t add or subtract worth crap, I’d contact the merchant and do whatever I needed to do to make it right. That’s what I expect.

So here’s what it comes down to – I wrote Kellie probably 4 times in April and May and finally, on May 22, got an answer that said that she was shutting Iris down and would be announcing that officially ‘next week.’ It’s now mid-June and there’s been nothing official. My rights, such as they are, are in limbo until she does something, and now I’m not even being paid royalties on the books that are selling through Iris’s site (or wherever – not Amazon or B&N as they’re not being restocked).

At this point, I feel that I have no choice but to officially ask people not to buy new copies of Thaw. I hate to do that, as I want my book read, but a writer is entitled to a reasonable royalty on the sale of her work, and until this situation is resolved, I can’t support Iris’s efforts in any way.

My contract has provision for the return of my rights if Iris goes out of business, and the minute she officially announces, I will be seeking a new publisher. Preferably one with a proven track record.

15 Responses to “Iris Woes, Again”

Oh wow, I’m so sorry. As I’ve said before, your book is an amazing one, one I was glad to have read. I’m terribly sorry this has happened to you, and I hope Kellie makes a move soon. Keeping your rights in limbo like this, without even offering you the chance to opt out of your contract early, is wrong and inexcusible.

Good luck in the future, I’ll definitely be looking for more from you.

This is just disgusting. I’m not surprised it bounced, but I hoped in my heart of hearts that it wouldn’t. I think you have the right idea to tell them to stop buying. Can’t you contact Amazon and get them to take it off?

Can’t you contact Amazon and get them to take it off? Unfortunately no, I’ve all ready looked into this for my title. Basically I’m just going to release it on my own with my own ISBN. If she wants to hunt me down, I say ‘bring it on’. Then maybe she can explain via her lawyer why she hasn’t contacted my rep.

I really really hope you can leave Iris ASAP because you will probably be able to place your work with a better publisher in a heartbeat.

I’ve been trying to understand all the issues regarding mxm in the publishing business (DramaQueen, Tokyopop–graphic novels, and now Iris Print) and it’s just horrible to hear how creators are being treated.

I suspect that alot of it also has to do with the fact this business is not based on a face to face relationship and things like emails and other obligations can be ignored.

I am so sorry. I feel somehow worse because I actually bought a copy of your book a couple of weeks ago on the recommendation of a fellow writer. I hope this gets resolved quickly and you receive the royalties you’re owed.

I know it’s already been said, but I’m so sorry this happened to you D: I adored Thaw, and so did all my friends. It’s really disappointing to see how Iris went. It seemed like such a neat thing, and I was really rooting for it. I was even hoping to publish something there, eventually.

Just adding my condolences. But I am glad to have found your blog (and hey, wow, another Cabinet des Fees author!!!) because of friends posting about this today. I hope you can get your rights back, as I’m confident you can place your book elsewhere.

[…] purchased a copy of the book intending to read and probably review it, but not long after that, you posted that the publisher which originally put out your book in October 2006, Iris Print, was sending you […]